


Fighting To Live

by LadyLaurel



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It, GOT Season 8 Fix-it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:54:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23138785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLaurel/pseuds/LadyLaurel
Summary: Arya wants to live, but surviving the destruction of King's Landing and it's consequences makes her wonder if she's capable of it anymore. The God of Death may have claimed her completely this time.Gendry only wants two things, to be with Arya and for her to be happy. He not even be able to have one, and blames Daenerys Targaryen it.Jon wants peace, but that seems impossible now. His only hope is to keep Daenerys happy and make sure she is obeyed, at least for a little while.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Comments: 19
Kudos: 60





	1. King's Landing

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure where this came from or where it is going. This fic will be mostly Gendrya with a bit of Jonaerys. 
> 
> Also, not beta'd because reasons. Will try to edit later, but it's almost 4am and I should go to bed.

Sandor had told Arya to live and she decided perhaps she had could. Perhaps Death did not own her completely. Perhaps she could move forward and not give in to the darkness that had consumed her for so long. Perhaps she could renew and create and just live. 

And she had fought for life. Fought to help those around her. Fought to see those she loved yet again, Jon, Sansa, Bran, Gendry. Fought for the life she was now sure was within her, that she was now certain she wanted. Fought for her future, one that she believed, if only for that short time, could be one filled with happiness and peace and love. 

But the God of Death had fought back, as hard as that day as during the Long Night. Only this time, Death had taken a face of Fire, instead of Ice. Rather than use cold dead men, Death now used a small woman and a dragon to remind Arya what she owed him. 

She ran and ran for life, through a city on fire, Death at her heals, trying, with all she had, to live. She tried in vain to help others, only to watch Death claim them in fire. She fell so many times, the debris from tumbling buildings bringing her down, but believing in that life within her urged her forward. She wanted to live, she had to live, for herself, for her family. 

And thought she’d gotten through it. Bruised and in pain, she awoke from one final hit to the head, her chest burning from the smoke, ash falling all around her. She awoke and she was alive, and she was going to live. But a pain began in her stomach and she knew she needed help. 

Arya wandered through the city. Jon and Gendry were there, she knew, she’d seen Stark and Baratheon banners in the distance. She loved Jon and Gendry and needed them, in different ways, both her family. They would help her, they would help her live, today and tomorrow. 

But as she walked, the pain grew, and she knew Death might win. She could feel it, grasping at her, taunting her, telling her she was naïve. She couldn’t live as she wished, Death owned her and wouldn’t allow life to flow from her. She saw Death’s work all around her, in bodies burnt to near ash and buildings nothing but smoldering ruins. 

She tried, desperately to push the fear and doubt aside, and a last surge of hope came through her when she was Jon, alive and well, walking towards what Remained of the Red Keep. She followed, begging herself to continue, begging the bleeding that she could now feel coming through her clothing and down her legs to stop, to let her live. 

She finally reached Jon, just as the Death’s newest instrument, the dragon and the queen, alighted and spoke to her assembled army. Jon turned and he reached towards her just as she realized that she could not live. Death had won. She was Death’s instrument too, and Death would not let her go. Falling into Jon’s arms, she fell also into darkness. She knew she would wake, but now she knew she wouldn’t, couldn’t have the life she wanted.

Jon and Davos had spent an hour after the battle wandering the ruins. Never in his life, had Jon seen so much destruction. He had thought the Long Night the worst nightmare imaginable, but this was worse. This destruction was human, even if a fantastic creature had been used to cause it. This destruction could come again and again and again. And the only way he knew to stop it was something he knew would break him. 

He also knew, as he walked, he likely had no choice. Still, he held out hope that Daenerys could be reasoned with. He loved her, as much as he hated himself for it, but he needed to at least try. 

Nearing the Red Keep, a familiar face came into view, but in clothes unusual for it. Gendry, now Lord Baratheon, was walking frantically about, picking at whatever wreckage that could have possibly been human at one point. He shouted orders to the large group of soldiers with him when he found someone still clinging to life, but quickly moved on. He’s looking for someone, Jon realized sadly. Of course, he had lived here, he knew people. 

“Gendry,” Jon called, and Gendry looked up. The former smith moved to meet Jon, worry and anger written plainly across his face. 

“Have you seen Arya?” Gendry asked quickly. 

“Arya? Arya’s here?” Jon asked, shocked and suddenly more frightened than he had been before. Gendry had told Jon during the Wight Hunt beyond the Wall how Gendry and Arya had met and traveled together after Ned Stark’s death. It had been a comfort knowing his sister had a friend to protect her, and it was comfort now knowing that Gendry was stilling looking out for Arya. But if Gendry didn’t know where Arya was and was looking through the rubble…

“Aye, she left with the Hound days before us. How didn’t you know?” Gendry asked, not bothering to hide the accusing tone in his voice. 

And he wouldn’t be wrong to wonder. Jon had ignored Arya, too busy in his own concerns, large though they were. Jon had thought, having seen Arya’s new-found strength and confidence, that if she needed him, she’d ask. Perhaps not. 

Jon shook his head. “Keep looking for her, please. I have to find Daenerys. I have to talk to her”

A dark expression came over Gendry’s features, and Jon knew the man was furious. But all Gendry said was, “You do that. I’m going to keep looking for Arya.” 

Jon stood there a moment watching Gendry walk away, guilt, for so many things, coursing through him. Nothing was right and it was Jon’s responsibility to fix it, however he could. 

Gendry walked away from Jon, rage seeping through him, threating to boil over. He wanted to hit something, to beat his hammer over steal and make it sing. No, make it scream. The city he’d lived for so many years was destroyed, and as much as he’d hated it, it was home and the people his people. Daenerys Targaryen had destroyed it all. 

And worse, Arya, his Arya, was somewhere here, amid all this death and destruction. Gods, he’d been an idiot with her and he promised himself when he found her, he'd find some way to make it better. But even if she didn’t want him, he needed her alive and safe and he wasn’t sure he could live himself if he lost her completely. 

Fuck the queen, he thought. Fuck Daenerys and her fucking dragon. His father had started a war for Arya’s aunt. Gendry would do no less for Arya and he would make the dragon queen pay.


	2. Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon meets up with Dany.

Davos had been silent while Jon and spoken to Gendry, but as soon as the new lord walked away, he spoke, gently: “I’m sure she’s alright Jon. Girl’s a fighter, we all now it. If anyone could survive…this…it would be her.”

Jon sighed and looked down. He appreciated the reassurance, but he knew he had failed so many. “Aye, but I should be going with him to look for her.”  
Shaking his head, Davos sighed and looked around. “You weren’t wrong, you’ve got to go to the queen. You’ve got to...” 

Davos’ voice trailed off. He looked Jon square in the eyes, but the intensity of the gruff but gentle old man’s expression was something Jon could not meet. Jon only nodded and continued to walk. 

After what seemed like an eternity of moving through the chaos that was once a city, Jon and Davos finally came to what remained of the Red Keep. In front of the great steps, the armies of the Dragon Queen had assembled; Unsullied in neat, unmoving lives, the Dothraki behind on their horses, hooting and ululating their triumph. It made Jon sick to see, but the worst part of it for him were the groups of Northmen that had assembled here and there and seemed to be joining in on the celebration. Northmen were supposed to be better than this, Jon had always believed, but then again, the North had produced the Boltons and those that followed them so easily. 

A dark shadow passed over the crowd and armies cheered loudly. Jon looked up to see Daenerys upon Drogon fly overhead. They swooped down and the great beast landed amid the gray castle ruins. Dany moved off the dragon gracefully, at ease in a way Jon had not had a chance to get with his Rhaegal. Thinking of his dragon made Jon’s heart wrench, but he pushed it aside. This was no time for him to grieve; too many had more worthy grief than his. 

Jon watched, uneasily, as Dany spoke to the crowds, in languages he did not understand. She was confident, fierce and glorious and even more beautiful than ever. She in her element as a conquering goddess, her worshippers before her cheering her own. 

Grey Worm was there, somehow having arrived before Jon despite Jon passing him in his trek through the city. The man looked emotionless and cruel, a sharp contrast to tight but kind soldier Jon had met over a year before. 

Tyrion Lannister was there, too, looking more broken and angrier with each word Dany said; clearly the man understood her words well. Jon watched as the man moved to take his off his Hand of the Queen pin, but knowing this was suicide, Jon grasped Tyrion by the shoulder. Tyrion looked up angrily, but Jon just shook his head. Tyrion let out a quick, defeated sigh, slumping his shoulders as Dany came up to them, smiling proudly, sinisterly. 

“There is much to do and much to plan. Our war is not over. I have already ordered Grey Worm to begin removing rubble from some areas of the Red Keep so that we can set up and begin planning the next phase,” Dany said to them. 

“Next phase?” Tyrion asked, not bothering to hide his astonishment and disgust. “You have King’s Landing, what else is there to do?” 

Dany’s face faltered for a moment and Jon saw rage slip in. But she suppressed it quickly before continuing, calmly and coldly. “All seven kingdoms have not yet bent the knee. I hope that King’s Landing will serve as a warning, as Harrenhal and the Field of Fire did for Aegon the Conqueror. But there will be many who will not so easily be swayed.” She looked at Jon pointedly, her face dark and fierce “Your sister, for instance.”

Jon swallowed and tense. “Dany…” he whispered. In the instant, a decision was taking hold in the back of Jon’s mind, one he had not wanted to completely countenance until now. But he had to protect his family. Sansa, whatever his problems with her, was his sister, if not exactly by blood, but by choice. He had to protect her and there was only one way now. 

The queen stared at him for a moment and Jon wondered if she could read his mind. But then, somehow, her face warmed and she smiled so broadly and so beautifully. Something of the old Dany came out. 

“I am sure it won’t come to that. Especially when she hears our news. I’m sure she will have no problem bending the knee to one who is to be the mother of her nephew or niece.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all know the show foreshadowed this like crazy in season 7. I kept expecting her to say something, right up until Drogon carried her lifeless body away. Ugh. 
> 
> We will get back to Arya and Gendry next chapter, but I needed to include this before moving forward.

**Author's Note:**

> Just an FYI, Arya is not dead nor will she die. She's just really badly hurt and needs medical attention ASAP, so don't worry.


End file.
